A Proportional Response
ANGRY PRESIDENT SEEKS VENGEANCE FOR DOOMED JET -- Still seething over the downing of an fully loaded American jet in the Mideast, a vengeful President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) overrules the joint chiefs' plan for a "proportional" military strike and demands a more severe attack that would result in thousands of enemy and civilian casualties. While Leo (John Spencer) and other advisers try to cool off the Commander-in-Chief, Press Secretary C.J. (Allison Janney) scolds a wayward Sam (Rob Lowe) over his potentially explosive private crusade to "rescue" a well-known call girl from her profession. Feeling overlooked during the hubbub surrounding the military options, Josh (Bradley Whitford) interviews a shy African-American teen (guest star Dule Hill) as a potential personal aide to the President. Summary Cast :Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn :Moira Kelly as Mandy Hampton :Dulé Hill as Charlie Young'First appearances of Dulé Hill as main character Charlie Young and John Amos as Percy Fitzwallace :Allison Janney as 'C.J. Cregg :Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler :John Spencer as Leo McGarry :Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman :and Martin Sheen as President Bartlet Special Guest Star :John Amos as Percy Fitzwallace Recurring cast :Timothy Busfield as Danny Concannon (uncredited) :Renée Estevez as Nancy :Janel Moloney as Donna Moss :Suzy Nakamura as Cathy Co-Starring :Kathryn Joosten as Dolores Landingham :NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper :Rose Rollins as Suzanne :Kim Webster as Ginger :Devika Parikh as Bonnie :Chad McKnight as Staffer #2 :Jack Montoya as Floor Manager :Ivan Allen as Roger Salier :Victor Love as Mike :Jana Lee Hamblin as Bobbi :Mindy Seeger as Chris :Andrew Shaifer as Reporter #4 :Marvin Krueger as Harrison :George McDaniel as Phil :Christopher Kriesa as Mitch Jensen :Hunter von Leer as Officer #4 *Actor and director Timothy Busfield makes his first appearance as recurring character Danny Concannon in this episode but is not credited. *Actress and director Laura Innes makes an uncredited appearance as a reporter in this episode. While the first season was being filmed she was also starring in the sixth season of Executive Producer John Wells' medical drama series ER. She would return to The West Wing as a director in later episodes. *Kim Webster is credited as playing "Kim" in this episode but her character is later identified as Ginger. *Ivan Allen is credited as playing an unnamed Newscaster in this episode but his character is later identified as Roger Salier. *Marvin Krueger, George McDaniel, and Christopher Kriesa all debut as unnamed officers among the joints chiefs in this episode. Their characters are later identified as Harrison, Phil, and General Mitch Jensen respectively. Trivia ERRORS *Before Charlie is introduced to the president, Sam Seaborn is wearing glasses in one shot, is without them the next, and then has them on again. *For most of the scene between Admiral Fitzwallace and Leo McGarry in Leo's office, Admiral Fitzwallace's ribbon board on his uniform is upside down. At the end of the scene, the ribbon board is correctly placed. REFERENCES *In the movie The American President (written by Aaron Sorkin) President Andrew Shepherd says "Someday someone's going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response." In this episode, President Bartlet asks "What's the virtue of the Proportional Response?" Photos 103fitz.png 103.png 103bartlet.png 103group.png Crew Opening credits #Aaron Sorkin - Creator #W.G. Snuffy Walden - Music #Kristin Harms - Producer #Jeff Reno - Consulting Producer #Ron Osborn - Consulting Producer #Llewellyn Wells - Episodic Producer #Aaron Sorkin - Writer #Marc Buckland - Director Closing credits #Aaron Sorkin - Executive Producer #Thomas Schlamme - Executive Producer #John Wells - Executive Producer #Michael Hissrich - Co-producer #Rick Cleveland - Co-producer #Peter Parnell - Executive Story Editor #Paul Redford - Story Editor #Patrick Cadell - Consultant #Dee Dee Myers - Consultant #Robert W. Glass, III - Associate Producer #Thomas Del Ruth - Director of Photography #Kenneth Hardy - Production Designer #Tina Hipsch - Editor #Robert P. Cohen - Unit Production Manager #Rodney Hooks - First Assistant Director #Stacy Fish - Second Assistant Director #Barbara Miller - Executive in Charge of Casting #John Levey - Casting #Kevin Scott - Casting Notes and references Category:Episodes Category:Season 1